Select Balto. Leaders Line Up Behind Braveboy

There is a palpable buzz in Baltimore City regarding the candidacy of Delegate Aisha Braveboy for the position of Maryland Attorney General. In conversations with the AFRO, a number of community leaders explained their reasons for supporting the delegate from Prince George’s County.

For Kim Trueheart, a community activist who also runs the Liberty Rec and Tech Center in west Baltimore, Braveboy is someone who will continue Attorney General Doug Gansler’s efforts to protect minority homeowners from foreclosure and predatory lending. “Being from Prince George’s county, another jurisdiction that’s predominantly Black, she understands the plight of the African-American community and the Latino community, so I feel good that she’s going to do well.” Trueheart said.

Trueheart was also swayed by Braveboy’s vocal support for Baltimore City’s attempt to secure $1.1 billion in funding from the General Assembly for school repair and construction, an effort whose benefits would rest outside of Braveboy’s Prince George’s County. “She has been exceptionally visible and accessible here in Baltimore City,” Trueheart said.

J. Wyndall Gordon, a civil and criminal defense trial attorney in Baltimore City, cited Braveboy’s support for those facing home foreclosures, for HBCU’s in their lawsuit against the state for violations of the Civil Rights Act and the equal protection clause of the United States Constitution, for raising the minimum wage, and for improving access to healthcare in explaining why he has chosen to support Braveboy in the race for Attorney General. “When it comes to consumer protection, protecting home owners, no one has the record that she has,” said Gordon. “She’s not only about the talk, but she also walks the walk, often times giving up her personal time on a pro bono basis to help people advocate on things that are most important to them, which for a lot of people includes their home.”

Like Trueheart, Gordon has also been moved by Braveboy’s willingness to tackle issues whose primary impact falls beyond the boundaries of her constituent county. “Given her record and her service, not only to her constituency but to the entire state of Maryland, there’s no candidate that can really compare to what she’s done,” said Gordon.

Elder CD Witherspoon spoke to the AFRO in his capacity as a community leader who has been active in civil rights issues since the era of the Freedom Rides. For Witherspoon, it is Braveboy’s support for HBCUs at a time when it was not a campaign issue that helped set her apart from the other candidates. “She showed exemplary leadership in standing up for HBCUs,” said Witherspoon, “who have experienced historical racism and discrimination, as so far as funding is concerned, from the state of Maryland. And Delegate Braveboy did this in an off-election year, and, for me, off-election performance is indicative of commitment and integrity.”

Witherspoon also cited Braveboy’s pro bono assistance to Janice Grant in saving Grant’s home from demolition in Aberdeen, an issue in which Witherspoon was also involved. “That shows tremendous leadership,” said Witherspoon. “And it shows regional leadership because Harford County is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area. She is a Prince George’s County delegate representing the Washington suburbs, but nevertheless she was concerned enough about the entire state to be concerned about an issue in Harford County.”